Volunteer spends time at Children's on wedding day
Danny Henley's wedding day went something like this: He got married, had breakfast at the Melrose Hotel then came to Children's with his new bride. It may not be most people's idea of a dream wedding, but for Henley and his wife, Kellye Carroll, a child life specialist at Children's, it made sense.
"Marriage is about the life together, not necessarily about the wedding day," said Henley, who volunteers at the hospital for two hours every Friday. "It's natural that we would come here after getting married because this is a part of our life together. It's something we share in common, and it's something that we love."
Henley, director of education for KERA Channel 13, had toyed with the idea of volunteering at Children's for a long time but worried that working with sick children would make him feel sad. Carroll convinced him that just the opposite would happen — that the experience would be inspirational.
That's exactly what he's discovered. "As adults, we expect to be healthy, and when we're not, we're frustrated," said Henley. "Kids are so resilient. They find a way to live and be happy with their illness. They smile and have fun and play hide-and-seek. It's inspirational to see them enjoying themselves, knowing that you helped play a small part in making their lives better."
As an endurance athlete who competes in triathlons and marathons, Henley finds inspiration from a patient who has dialysis three times weekly. "When the going gets tough in a long-endurance event, I think about his courage, perseverance and strength," he said.
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Children's volunteer Danny Henley and Kellye Carroll, a child life specialist at Children's, wedded before spending the afternoon at the hospital.
